


The Darkness That's Left Behind

by HPbooks4life



Series: The Evolution of Solangelo [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Bonding, Canon Compliant, M/M, Nico gets a little peace, Nico's a little traumatized, Post-The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus), Will is a good person, i love these boys so much, someone give this kid a hug, this is really long why is this so long
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:02:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23671252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HPbooks4life/pseuds/HPbooks4life
Summary: Nico di Angelo is an independent soul. He doesn't need anyone. No one needs him. But even he needs to let things out, and he may have finally found someone to do it with.ORNico and Will bond because Solangelo is my OTP and Nico needs a hug.
Relationships: Nico di Angelo & Will Solace, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Series: The Evolution of Solangelo [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1716640
Comments: 6
Kudos: 154





	The Darkness That's Left Behind

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! So, I had a bunch of homework, geometry I didn't understand, and chores. So I thought, you know what I should do? Write a Solangelo oneshot where Nico gets some closure!
> 
> So, yeah, you're all accomplices to my slacking. You're welcome :)
> 
> This kinda got away from me, because I like describing things and am very bad at it, so it's a bit long. But I really enjoyed writing it. Nico is one of my favorite characters in the Riordanverse, because he's such an inspiration. His entire life is just one tragedy after another, and yet he still finds a way through it, and always does the right thing. But even Nico needs help sometimes, and he needs to accept that. So, this was born. Here, he and Will aren't actually a couple, but you get a few of the feels that give you an idea of how they feel about one another.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!

_ Darkness. That’s all there was. Darkness and emptiness. He was suffocating, slowly. Nothing. No air. _

_ He reached out in the dark, fumbling. There was hope. Here, somewhere. If he could just find it… _

_ Fingers closed around something. Small. Smooth. He put it in his mouth, on instinct. There was no thought. No higher function. Just a basic instinct to survive. _

_ He bit down. Something exploded between his teeth. Sweet. Juicy. It wets his parched throat, and suddenly breath came a little easier. But he knew it wouldn’t last. It never did. _

_ Days this way. Weeks? Not sure. Nothing here was sure. Whenever he felt himself truly slipping away, he found a smooth, round orb. Salvation. _

_ But one day, there is no salvation. _

_ Scrabbling fingers. Desperate, hungry. Searching, searching, searching… _

_ Nothing. Nothing but darkness. _

_ No more help. _

_ No more hope. _

_ He was suffocating… _

Nico woke with a start, breathing heavily. He looked around, panicked, sweat matting his hair. There was nothing but darkness, just like the dream. His heartbeat quickened, breaths coming faster, harder to get. Suffocating. His fingers curled into desperate fists in the covers.

Covers?

Looking down, Nico realized he was in a bed. The past few days came rushing back, and he flopped back down on his back, sinking into the sweat-soaked sheets.

He was in the infirmary. It was the middle of the night, of course it was dark. As his eyes slowly adjusted, and his breathing slowed, he could make out the shapes of the other beds, and the sound of quiet breathing from the other patients. Most of the less seriously injured had been released days ago, but there were still far more patients than usual. Casualties of the Second Giant War.

Nico sighed. The dream wasn’t anything new. He’d had several such nightmares since his brief stint in the jar. He’d also developed a rather irritating aversion to enclosed spaces. It was ridiculous - he was a son of Hades. He  _ shadow traveled, _ for crying out loud. Oftentimes the only shadows around were some very tight fits, and he’d found that he was no longer able to use them. He also couldn’t stand the taste of pomegranates, but that wasn’t anything new. It was just that now when he tasted them, not only did he want to gag, he also felt like he was actually going to die.

By all rights, Nico  _ should _ have been allowed to return to his cabin days ago. Although he initially hadn’t minded hanging around the infirmary - mostly because of a certain blond-haired, blue-eyes doctor - he was starting to get a little fed up. A guy could only take so much mother henning. Yet Will absolutely refused to let him leave, saying he didn’t trust Nico not to overextend himself. Which was probably fair. But since when was Will in charge of him?

Besides. He had another reason for not wanting to sleep in a room with other people.

Deciding he wasn’t going to get any more sleep after that, Nico pulled his covers off and sat up, hissing quietly when his bare feet touched the cold hardwood floor. He stood slowly and grabbed his aviator jacket from where it was hanging on his bedpost, pulling it over his bare arms. He wasn’t cold, but he knew that if he caught a chill, Will would  _ never _ let him out of the infirmary. Watching where he stepped so he didn’t wake anyone, Nico made his way across the room, opening the door and stepping out into the cool night air. He just stood there for a moment, breathing in the scents of the night. The smell of woodsmoke from the bonfire still lingered, as well as the scent of strawberries and a faint hint of rain. It calmed something in his soul. He’d forgotten how much he loved this place, despite all the things that had happened here. He hadn’t realized how much he missed it.

Stepping onto the damp grass, Nico set off toward the beach, setting a leisurely pace. After the enclosed terror in his dream, he revelled in the wide open space around him, taking deep, glorious breaths. He could hear night creatures around him, twittering and chirping and hooting. He knew at least one of those sounds was some kind of monster, but the thought didn’t scare him. He was at Camp Half-Blood. There wasn’t much that could hurt him. Actually, after everything he’d been through the past few weeks, Nico wasn’t sure there was much of anything that could hurt him.

He reached the beginning of the stretch of sand that comprised Camp Half-Blood’s beach. Pulling his jacket tighter around him, he started walking slowly along the shore, curling his toes into the cool, soft sand. The air was chillier out here, but he was glad. It helped him shake off some of the dark feelings his dream had left behind. The smell of salt was stronger, too, and it reminded him of Percy. Strangely, though, the thought didn’t bring its usual pang of sorrow, and Nico smiled a little. Maybe he was finally getting over him.

Reaching a fairly secluded spot, Nico sat down in the sand, crossing his legs beneath him. He gazed up at the stars, twinkling brightly like little diamonds. There was no moon tonight, just an endless expanse of starry sky. Listening to the waves gently lapping against the shore, Nico finally felt himself begin to relax. His muscles loosened, and he took a deep, refreshing breath, letting the fresh air clear his head.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting there, staring up at the stars, when a quiet voice spoke up from behind him.

“Are you alright?”

Nico jumped, whirling around. Will was standing there, bright blue eyes worried and electrifying as ever. He was looking at Nico like he always did - a mixture of worry, exasperation, and something else. Something Nico couldn’t quite place. It was… tender, almost. Like a hug with his eyes.

Shaking off the ridiculous and somewhat bizarre thoughts, Nico nodded. “I’m fine, Solace. Just needed some air.”

Will nodded, but didn’t move, standing stock still. Nico rolled his eyes. 

“Either leave me or join me, Solace. You’re freaking me out.”

Blushing, Will responded in a small voice, “Do you want me to go?”

Nico looked at him in surprise. After a moment, he mumbled a response.

“No.”

Slowly, as if approaching a wounded animal, Will walked to Nico and sat down beside him. He sat a respectful distance away, and while Nico would normally appreciate the gesture, he felt himself shift a bit closer. He wasn’t sure why. Something in those big blue eyes always seemed to draw him in.

Will didn’t speak for a while. Nico didn’t either, just went back to studying the stars. But every once in a while, his gaze would flick over to his right, catching glimpses of the other boy. His hair, glowing gold even in the starlight. His tan skin, smooth and perfect. His hands, long-fingered and beautiful, and as Nico knew from experience, nimble with both needle and knife. Once, he glanced over to see Will looking back. Both boys blushed and looked away.

After a moment, Will spoke.

“What happened?”

Nico looked at him, a look of confusion crossing his face. “What do you mean?”

“Why are you out here?”

He shrugged. “I told you. Needed some air.”

Will sighed. “It’s okay, Nico. You don’t have to tell me. I just thought I’d ask.”

There was silence for a few moments. Then, to his surprise, and almost against his will, Nico’s mouth opened and he spoke.

“I had a nightmare.”

Will didn’t say anything, only nodded. Taking a deep breath, Nico continued.

“It was… about the jar. You know, the one I was trapped in.”

Will’s mouth curved into a small, sarcastic smile. “Yes, I assumed.”

Nico scowled at him. “I’ve had dreams about it a few times.” He hunched his shoulders a little. “They’re not fun.”

There was quiet for a moment, and then Will asked him again.

“Are you alright?”

His voice was soft, and gentle, and full of something that simultaneously made Nico want to cry and sent shivers up his spine.

He opened his mouth to give his usual flippant response of “I’m fine, Solace,” but then hesitated. Thought for a moment.

“I don’t know,” Nico admitted quietly, after a long pause.

And to his surprise, Will didn’t flip. He didn’t immediately ask Nico what he could do, or change the subject, or order him into bed for six weeks. He didn’t hug him, or tell him it was all going to be okay. He just nodded, slowly, and whispered, “Okay.”

It was nice. It didn’t make Nico feel pressured, or stifled. It just made him feel heard.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while. There was something calming about Will’s presence, and Nico slowly relaxed again, breathing slowly and deeply. He hadn’t felt this comfortable near another person in a long, long time. The only person who came even close was Hazel, but despite the fact that she was his sister, and he knew she loved him, the fact was that Hazel didn’t really  _ know _ him. And even if she did, she was his younger sister. It was his job to protect her, not the other way around.

But with Will, he felt like he could finally relax. Breathe. It was a wonderful feeling, one that he hadn’t felt since…

He froze. Something caught in the back of his throat, and his eyes suddenly prickled with tears.

He hadn’t felt this way since Bianca.

They had done this, so many times. Snuck out to the beach, or the roof. Even just lie together in bed, when Nico would climb in with her after he had a bad dream, the covers pulled up to their chins. She’d stroke his hair, and sometimes sing, humming little tunes. It was the only place Nico could truly relax, knowing that nothing bad in the world could reach him. With Bianca, he was safe. Protected.

And now she was gone.

He didn’t notice the tears streaming down his face until he felt Will’s warm, calloused hand touch his arm. He didn’t move away, just drew his legs up to his body, wrapping his arms around them. Slowly, gently, giving Nico plenty of time to pull away, Will wrapped his arm around his shoulders. For a moment, neither boy moved.

Then, slowly, Nico let his head rest against Will’s shoulder.

He let out a small, hiccuping sob, as more tears ran down his face. They were coming faster now, as he allowed the reality of the past few weeks to catch up with him. The darkness of the jar. The terror that he wasn’t going to survive. The relief of being freed, only to have to set out on another quest with the boy he loved, who didn’t even know he existed. The embarrassment of having to admit to that, in front of another person, his emotions entertainment for a bored and merciless god. The long weeks of shadow travel, seeing the world in short snapshots of color before once more plunging into the darkness.

The loss of yet another person Nico had considered a friend.

His body was wracked with sobs, his shoulders shook, the memories coming faster now. His sister’s face, always in the forefront of his mind. The terror of realizing that she was leaving him, the horror of finding out she was dead.

He cried for his mother, the time he should’ve had with her, the memories that seemed like a void in his life. He cried for the entire life that had been stolen away from him, leaving him stranded, a stranger in a time that wasn’t his own. He cried for all the years he spent on the run, the knowledge that no one knew where he was. That no one cared. By the time his sobbing finally died down, Nico felt as if he’d cried out every last drop of water in his body.

Even when he’d calmed down, Will didn’t move his arm. Nico didn’t move, either, just stayed exactly where he was, gazing blankly at the horizon. He allowed himself to be empty. Completely and utterly empty. After years of being full to the brim, the sensation was new, and wonderful. He felt light. Like he could float away at any moment.

Finally, Nico straightened. Will let his arm fall from his shoulders, leaning back on his hands, and stretched his legs out.

“Better?” he asked, his voice quiet.

Nico was silent for a moment. Then, “Yeah.”

His voice was raw, and ragged, but for the first time in what felt like forever, his insides weren’t. His breaths came easily, and he no longer felt as if he’d been filled with lead.

Nico stretched out, too, his muscles protesting as he used them for the first time in what had probably been hours. Leaning back on his elbows, he let his head fall back, eyes closed, and inhaled a deep, cleansing breath.

“Yeah.”

They lay there for a while longer, side by side, not speaking. Nico’s eyelids grew heavy, and he started to nod off. That surprised him. Usually, he had no problem staying up all night. He did it quite often.

“Come on,” Will said after a bit, standing up and dusting himself off. “We should get to bed.”

He held out a hand, which Nico accepted, and pulled the shorter boy to his feet. They started back up the slope toward the infirmary, silent except for the occasional snap of a twig underfoot.

When they reached the door of the infirmary, Nico turned to Will, brow wrinkled.

“How did you know I’d left?”

Will looked a little guilty at that. “I, um. Came to check on you.”

Nico rolled his eyes, but he could deny the rush of warmth that he felt when he heard those words. He cared. Enough that he’d gotten up in the middle of the night and trekked halfway across camp just to see if Nico was okay.

There was quiet for a moment. Then Will spoke up. “I’ll, uh, go. Then. If you don’t need anything else?” He looked at Nico questioningly.

Nico shook his head. “No.”

Will nodded, and turned to go.

“Wait.”

He stopped, half-turning. “What is it?”

“Just…” Nico trailed off for a moment. “Thanks.”

Will turned his head fully, giving Nico a smile. “Your welcome.” Then his gaze flicked down to Nico’s still bare feet. “And next time, Nico, wear some shoes during your midnight wanderings.”

Nico let out a hoarse laugh. Once a doctor, always a doctor. “Sure, Solace.”

“See you tomorrow.”

“See you.”

Nico watched Will leave. Then, with a small smile, he turned and went back into the infirmary.

This time, when he closed his eyes, there were no monsters. No terror. Just a warm, safe sort of darkness. His limbs felt heavy, and the comforter weighed him down, cocooning him in warmth and a feeling of safety. With a soft smile, Nico allowed himself to relax, sinking into the bed. He was safe. Loved. He was home.

He drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are much appreciated! I welcome constructive criticism, as it helps me improve my writing. As always, be safe!


End file.
